The Case of the Slender Man
by Puddum
Summary: Mulder and Scully travel to a ski resort in the Poconos to investigate a mystery that can only get more dangerous as they delve deeper into it.  M for adult language.  Some subtle M/S.


_Long time X-Files fan, first time fanfic writer. I hope not to disappoint!_

_For those of you familiar with MarbleHornets or Slender Man, you'll probably find this entertaining. And if you're not familiar? I think you'll enjoy it anyway._

**The Case of the Slender Man**  
**Prologue**

**Tannersville, Pennsylvania.**

A young man runs through a snow-covered forest, glancing behind ever so often. A look of sheer, unfiltered panic is etched upon his face. He weaves through the dense trees, attempting to shake off someone or something. His body moves wildly and without the grace of a natural sprinter. All his speed comes from an all-encompassing sense of terror. He looks over his shoulder once again, and, losing track of where he's going, collides into a tree.

His now broken flashlight lies abandoned in the tree's roots as he flees once again, blood pouring from his now broken nose. Fortunately he is rapidly approaching the nearby ski resort and he can already see the enormous lights. Though it is late, it is not so late that everyone would be gone from the premises. Someone should be there that can help him. So he hopes.

He runs up to the fence that stretches all the way up the mountain on one side and all the way down to the highway on the other. There's a side gate a few yards away, but he is dismayed to find it chained and padlocked. He bangs on the gate in frustration.

"Hello?" he calls out, breathless. "Is anyone there? Can someone let me in?"

He hears a leaf crunch away in the distance and his wild panic returns. He frantically climbs the high metal fence and within moments is over on the other side. He runs for the nearest building, a small log-cabin with a sign reading "Administrators' Quarters." The lights are off but someone has to be inside. He knocks loudly, his wide eyes locked on the gate behind him.

"Hello? I know there's someone in there," he shouts at the door, eyes still on the gate. "Please, you have to let me in! Please! Help me!"

His cries for help are matched with an epic snore from inside. He kicks the door in his agitation, hurting his foot in the process. His eyes close for a moment as he winces at the pain and when they open, he sees the gate is suddenly wide open. He gasps and starts to limp away as fast as his damaged foot will let him.

Away across the blindingly white field, headlights from a resort jeep turn a corner and pass in front of the opposite gate. This must be the security guards making their nightly rounds. The young man waves his arms in an attempt to catch their attention. The car stops and one of the men climbs out to get a better look.

"Hey! You there! What are you doing out here?" shouts one of the guards. "Don't you know park's closed?"

He's probably in a world of trouble, but the young man doesn't care. He is just relieved to have found people that are aware of him. He stops in front of the chair lift to catch his breath momentarily.

"You hear me, punk?" shouts the guard as he starts to unlock his gate. "What are you doin' out here this late?"

"I'm coming! Just gimme a sec," says the young man as he exhales for what feels like the first time all day. "Just let me catch my-"

Suddenly the lift roars into life. The bench he's standing in front of scoops him into the seat and before he can do anything he's being raised ten, twenty, fifty feet into the air.

"What the-?" shouts the guard. His buddy has now joined him and they're both having difficulty with the lock. "What do you think you're doing, kid?"

"Does it look like I'm doing this?" screams the young man as he looks around frantically. He is definitely too high up to jump now, not that he would have felt comfortable doing so at 10 feet either.

As he swivels around in his seat, he thinks he catches a brief glimpse of _him_. A black suit, a white face. But it's only a blur and then he's gone.

"He's here! He's gonna get me!" he screams at the dot-like guards. "Help!"

Then the lights go out.

"Oh, fer fuck's sake," says the other guard. "Look, Bob, just hold the flashlight and move."

He shoves Bob out of the way and gets to work on the lock. Within seconds the lock is open and the gate quickly follows. They rush through only to hear a piercing shriek and then a distant thud.

By the time they trudge up the mountain where the body is, the lights have been turned back on. They stare at the dead boy with expressions of shock and confusion. _His_ last expression is one of complete and utter horror: his eyes huge and staring, his mouth stretched open into a silent scream.


End file.
